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Inheritance (episode)
Data meets Juliana Tainer, former wife of Dr. Noonien Soong and Data's "mother," but she holds a shocking secret that even she doesn't know she carries. Summary Teaser Act One Act Two Act Three Mining continues on the surface of the planet. Dr. Tainer seems to have a little bit of luck in finding the right frequency while drilling. Later, as they are in the mine pocket, Pran admits to Data that Dr. Tainer told him what she told Data. When Data asks her to explain her reason for leaving him in Omicron Theta, she explains that had Data been a biological child she would not have left him behind. However, she adds, it did not make it any easier. She was just afraid of how Data would turn out. They get back to work, and Data notices that Dr. Tainer seems to be perfectly comfortable in what seems to be a very hot mine shaft. Later that day, Data and Dr. Tainer perform the recital in Ten Forward. The performance goes by perfectly, a fact that Data seems to keenly observe. Data later consults Dr. Crusher, wishing to see Dr. Tainer's medical records, for reasons he says that he does not want to specify. Dr. Crusher is initially reticent, but finally relents. She replies, after looking at Dr. Tainer's records, that Juliana seems to have a mild case of hypertension, a normal occurrence for her age. Commander Riker calls Data at this point. Data is informed that the mine shaft they had created has become unstable, and that Pran has sustained some injuries trying to restabilize it. Dr. Tainer and Data proceed to be transported onto the shaft. After Data rearranges the pattern enhancers they make their way through the now treacherous shaft to get to their machine. Riker soon checks with them, informing them that the shaft has reached a dangerous level of instability. Data promises to expedite their work, and quickly wrap up, saving the integrity of the shaft. As they proceed to the transport point, however, they realize that it has sunk far below their current level due to the seismic activity. Data determines that since there is no way to climb down, they will have to jump. Dr. Tainer protests, fearing that it is too high, but there is not enough time. Data takes her down with him. But while he survives intact, he sees that Dr. Tainer's arm has been separated from her body--and circuitry flashes within it. Act Four In the sickbay, La Forge examines the circuitry present in Dr. Tainer's head. It becomes apparent that Juliana Tainer is an android, one more advanced than Data. Her internal machinery was designed to give off Human life signs. Data spots an information chip built with a holographic interface. Data activates the chip in the holodeck, and a hologram of his father, Noonien Soong, appears, explaining that he would answer any questions as to the nature of the Juliana android. When he realizes that it is Data who has activated him, he becomes happy to see his son again, and states that he expected Data to be the one to activate the hologram. Dr. Soong then explains that after an accident that threatened Juliana's life, he strove to perfect the technology to encode a person's memories into a positronic matrix, so that he can somehow salvage her consciousness. He soon succeeded, and a few days after the real Juliana Soong died, he activated the Juliana android, complete with experiences and memory. They were happy, but Dr. Soong's failure to adequately express his love for Juliana prompted her to leave him. In the end, Dr. Soong sternly admonishes Data not to tell her that she is an android, so that she can live out the rest of her life as a human. Data is confronted with a difficult choice, and consults with Counselor Deanna Troi, Dr. Crusher, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard. After some discussion, Captain Picard reassures Data that they will support whatever decision he comes up with. Data replaces the information chip into Dr. Tainer's head, and she comes to. Data explains that after she made the jump, she broke a bone in her arm, but that everything is fine now. As Juliana Tainer prepares to be transported off the ship, Data reminds her of the love that Dr. Soong had for her. Juliana replies that she is consequently not surprised that Data developed and turned out so well--he is the product of two parents who loved him and each other. Background Information * As he examines the unconscious Juliana Tainer with Dr. Crusher, Geordi mentions that Tainer "ages in appearance, like Data". This is probably the way found by writers to overcome the apparent incongruity of having actor Brent Spiner age while playing an artificial being. * Worf only appears in two shots and has only two lines: "Phasers locked on target." and "Terminating the beam." He does not attend Data's recital. * Fionnula Flanagan (Juliana Tainer) had earlier played Enina Tandro in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode . She returns to Star Trek in , in the role of Vulcan Ambassador V'Lar, in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode . *The character name of Juliana Tainer was named by co-writer Dan Koeppel after mountain bike racer Juli Furtado http://mtnbikehalloffame.com/inductees.cfm?page=99&mID=129. * In , when Geordi is tied into the main viewscreen, an aura can be seen around Data; Geordi explains that this is because Data is an android, and expresses that this is normal. In this episode, however, Geordi does not know that Tainer is an android immediately, implying that he sees no aura around her. This may be because Tainer is designed to appear completely human. Video and DVD releases *UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 81, . *As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection. Links and References Main Cast *Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard *Jonathan Frakes as Commander William T. Riker *LeVar Burton as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge *Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf *Gates McFadden as Doctor Beverly Crusher *Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi *Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data/ Noonien Soong Guest Stars *Fionnula Flanagan as Juliana O'Donnell Soong Tainer *William Lithgow as Pran Tainer Uncredited Co-Stars *David Keith Anderson as Ensign Armstrong *Tracee Lee Cocco as Lieutenant j.g. Jae *Elliot Durant III as an operations division ensign *Holiday Freeman as a command division officer *Fumiko Hamada as a command division officer *Grace Harrell as a operations division officer *Kerry Hoyt as a security ensign *Jonathan Paley as an Atrean aide *Keith Rayve as a command division ensign *Joyce Robinson as Ensign Gates Uncredited Stunt doubles and stand-ins *Kenneth David Ebling as photo double for Brent Spiner (Noonien Soong) *Brian J. Williams as stunt double for Brent Spiner *Christine Baur as stunt double for Fionnula Flanagan References android; Atrea IV; B-4; Corvallen; crystalline entity; emotion chip; holo-programs; Lal; logic; Lore; magnesite; Mavala IV; Mavala system; modesty subroutine; Noonien Soong; Omicron Theta; Passacaglia for Violin and Viola; Pattern enhancer; positronic matrix; Soong-type android; Ten Forward; Terlina III; Terlina system; violin Other references Alpha Drapanas; Alpha Holler II; Alpha Rossi; Alpha Zayra II; ''Augyn'', SS; Balder's Planet; Beta Wiltz III; Brownfield, Dick; Chronister II; commercial transport database archive; Coopersworld; Delta Charnock IX; Epsilon West IV; Gamma Towles II; Gausche, Steve; Gravett, Jacques; Lauritson's Planet; ''Manila'', SS; Neskoromny's Planet; Purser's Planet; Smutko, Al; Starbase Allen; Stimson, Mark; Thomsworld; Thomsworld Spaceport; Varria IV Timeline 2328, 2370 |next= }} Category:TNG episodes de:Soongs Vermächtnis es:Inheritance nl:Inheritance